I have been trying to get up to speed on just how much money the government is trying to spend, on its "green initiatives"Its not easy to project out the costs. I am all for "green" type things, but there is green...and then there is gang green, and I smell more of the later.Such as the very idea, of using my/your tax dollars/debt to pay/subsidise the installation of grid solar. Remember the power companies are private for profit businesses, I wouldn't question this if they were publicly owned like they were 20 years ago but not now.....so firstly should we even be thinking about paying for the hardware (panels and such) that a private business(EPCOR) is then going to have free use of(mostly) to sell the benefits it derives (electrons)from our public purchase of hardware, back to us at a hefty markup? It sounds like shooting yourself in the foot twice...

Now as to offgrid, I have said it before and will again.....it does not need to be subsidised, though if we are just going to throw public money around I would rather it here than to private for profit companies. We could allow maybe hardware costs of a installed system to be deducted off your income at tax time? or some such thing though again I say it really isn't needed as solar is now so cheap that the growth is exponential without government interference .I submit for general interest this fellow who built his own system and kept track of his costs. I should point out that he bought his components in 2009 Just as prices were starting to come down, for example he paid 2400.00 dollars and only got 800 watts of panels...now here or the USA 2400.00 dollars would get you 2400 to maybe 2800 watts of power. Inother words so much power he wouldn't have had to use a propane fridge.His total cost for everything was 9200.00 way more than he would have to pay today, and part of this cost was 1500.00 for the pole and rack, which is bat shit crazy cause He did everything himself so why not spend 300-400 on steel and weld up your own and save a grand+? he must be a woodworker

And do note its 2016 now and he is still using his golf cart batteries, bought in 2009 so into its 7th year and all is just fine!! on a 12 volt system, with multiple parallel strings, kept in a unheated garage, and charged with a inadequate (imho) amount of solar( for 1600 amphr size). What I am saying is doing everything less than optimal and He is still hitting a home run so to speak!!

Naits solar installer program is heavly over prescribed right now, and will be for sometime to come due to the demand. In rural Alberta there are now lots of people set up with solar, and I am seeing many more people preparing to pull the plug, I know of homes around me where people have bought all the equipment over the last couple years, and just have to buy the batteries when they are ready, people have caught on to just how cheap it is now....expect the power companies to start complaining about "grid defection" soon.

I just checked on line and there is a comparable system to his (3kw pure sign inverter, 1000 watts of panels + batteries and everything needed) selling for 4446.00 dollars right now in Canada So if a person just added another 1000 or so watts of panels and a few more batteries you would have a killer system...for a couple or 3 people. It just cant get cheaper....I think a person should have to pay something...That's why I say it doesn't need to be subsidised

Thank you. Your replies got me looking into it all from all different angles. The power service out here is trying to get people involved in solar and selling it to them-but you need to use their guys in case it needs repairing so that their service men are safe. There is a big stink in Las Vagas where one of the hotels is changing over to solar and the power company is upset and some of the remedies are causing grief for homeowners who are using solar. Given what I'm reading the best thing seems to be doing it ourselves and forgoing the possible income from selling back any extra.

I've decided to get a sea can to mount my solar panals onto in an open area that faces south. Also to store my junk lol. I have the money to set up the whole thing come spring. So I will spend the winter learning how to do it all and where to buy the best equipment. I'm torn about being hooked up to the power grid and selling power back when I can or just being independent. Has anyone else considered this? What did you decide and why ?